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Oct 12 '08
(A Series of Sermons on Building Character in Your Life)
Rev. Erik O. Garthe, Pastor - Edgemere Baptist Church
Message #11 ... October 12, 2008
¡§It is a Key to God¡¦s Power¡¨
2 Chronicles 16:9a
Matt Lauer provided additional coverage for NBC at the recent summer Olympics, and he was overwhelmed by his first time at an opening ceremony. At the close of the evening's coverage he asked Bob Costas on air if all Olympic openings were like this. Costas confirmed, "They are not." Indeed they aren't. The magical rendition of 9-year-old Lin Miaoke singing Ode to the Motherland while an estimated one billion viewers watched the fireworks blaze overhead was simply an illusion. Americans saw digitized fireworks that were mixed in for effect by computer experts because of concerns about filming the fireworks live from a helicopter. And the beautiful child's voice didn't belong to the cute little girl with pigtails and a red dress. Miaoke had the appealing image Chinese officials wanted but her voice was not suitable. Yang Peiyi, age 7, had the voice but she wasn't cute enough to stand on stage. So the world got a mixture of both to create the illusion of wonder. Chen Qigang, general music designer for the opening ceremonies said, "The reason was for the national interest. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression." The end result was what one critic classified as "fake loveliness." [Houston Chronicle, 8/13/8, p.A2]
A question for us to consider: Moses forsook all the treasures of Egypt to serve the Lord and free His people from bondage. God commissioned Moses and sent him to Pharaoh. Why then did God meet him in an inn and seek to kill him? See Exodus 4:22-24
22 "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ¡¥Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 "So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn."¡¦" 24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.
Answer: Based on what happened in the next, it is clear why God was so displeased with Moses. Zipporah performed a circumcision on their son, something Moses failed to do.
God called Abraham to leave his country and his family to establish a new nation, through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. God gave Abraham a sign of that covenant¡Xcircumcision. God gave very clear instructions that this sign was to be carried out by all of his descendants. Moses failed to do this with his sons. That failure revealed a less than complete commitment to the Lord. If left unaddressed, this lack of covenant fulfillment would have hindered his ability to represent the nation of Israel forcefully to Pharaoh.
Sincerity ¡K is being as genuine on the inside as we appear to be on the outside.
Many scholars believe the word sincere comes from the Latin sincerus, which means ¡§pure, genuine.¡¨ To be sincere is to be without deception.
In ancient Rome, sculpting was a popular profession. The culture flourished with statues, as nearly every public and private building had numerous gods represented. The market was flooded with sculptors, so quality was sometimes lacking. Less qualified craftsmen would cover their errors with wax, and frequently the customer could not see the flaw. To compensate for this practice, authentic sculptors would mark their statues with the words sine cera--"without wax." Today we frequently use the same term to close letters: "sincerely." As Christians we are called to live authentic lives. [Seeds of Greatness, Denis Waitley, 1983, p. 84]
The ultimate expression of deception is Satan and his messengers, who appear as angels of light but in reality are darkness and death. See 2 Corinthians 11:13¡V15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
The Hebrew word for ¡§sincerity¡¨ is tamiym. It means ¡§complete, whole, sound; having integrity; or entirely in accord with truth and fact.¡¨ The Greek word heilikrines is translated sincere and is made up of two Greek words: heile, which means ¡§the sun¡¦s ray,¡¨ and krino, meaning to ¡§judge.¡¨
„« Our lives and actions should be found pure when judged by sunlight. See John 3:20-21
20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
If you ever get a chance to play horseshoes with Alan Francis, make sure he's your partner and not your opponent. Francis is the twelve-time National Horseshoe Pitchers Association champion. He averages 90% ringers, and once threw sixty-four consecutive ringers in a tournament. Francis has won some nice prize money along the way, but he is not motivated by money. He says, "I like competing against myself to see if I can get better." He notes his constant desire is to throw nothing but ringers¡Kperfection. In a recent interview he said, "I saw a sign the other day that said, 'If you're through improving, you're through.'" [American Profile, 7/30/6]
Another New Testament word translated ¡§perfect¡¨ is katartizo, which means ¡§complete thoroughly,¡¨ i.e. repair. See 1 Peter 5:10.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect [katartizo], establish, strengthen, and settle you.
God takes all believers through fiery trials that expose hidden defects and imperfections. When believers thank God for these trials and rejoice in the purposes for which they are given, God grants a corresponding measure of the power of the Holy Spirit and a perfection of the fruit of the Spirit in believers¡¦ lives. See 1 Peter 4:12¡V13
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ¡¦s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
Jesus followed up His command to love our enemies with this issue of sincerity, in Matthew 5:46-48.
46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.¡¨
What is the reward of sincerity?
God looks for sincere and perfect hearts through which to demonstrate His wisdom and power. See 2 Chronicles 16:9a
9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
Who was this statement spoken to, and why? It was said to King Asa, who won a great victory when he relied upon the Lord but suffered a great defeat when he relied upon a military ally.
Paul also discovered that when he relied upon the Lord with all of his heart, even though he was weak, he experienced God¡¦s strength. See Corinthians 12:9
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
John Bayer is a missionary in Panama. His calling to international missions began on a mission trip to Australia. During that trip he encountered an elderly Catholic woman. When the subject of prayer was discussed the woman said, "I have to pray to Mother Mary every day, or my day just won't go right." Bayer shared the promise of Scripture that we can pray directly to Jesus. The woman replied, "But Mary is close to Jesus. She is his mother, and she will take my prayer to him." Bayer then felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to gently ask, "If you were sick and you had your choice of calling the doctor or the doctor's mother, who would you call?" She acknowledged she had never thought about it that way. They then prayed together and that woman heard a prayer directed to Jesus for the very first time. When she opened her eyes, tears trickled down her cheeks as she said, "Thank you for coming." [Deacon, Winter 1995, p. 38]
How Sincere Are You?
„X Are you the same on the outside as you are on the inside?
„X Do you hide secret sins from the light of Christ?
„X Do you judge others about things of which you are guilty as well?
„X Do you obey outwardly, yet inwardly resist instruction?
„X Do you seek the Lord with your whole heart?
„X Do you allow the strength of God to shine through your weaknesses?
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